Cities Play Key Role in Climate Action

“We need to think differently — more broadly — about the role of cities in a world where the nation-state may now be flexing its muscle on key issues that have been neglected for years. Climate change is just a start. Those of us who work on cities issues should encourage our leaders to take on other key challenges. Perhaps striving toward inclusive and sustainable urban development, as lofty and ambiguous as these goals are, will eventually result in global leadership on security, public health, nutrition, migration, income inequality and other important issues.

Because countries can’t and won’t achieve progress on these challenges on their own, the relative success of nation-states is unlikely to diminish the influence of cities and transnational municipal networks: The sort of governance in which global cities share a role is not a zero-sum game.

In short, we should expect that cities will continue their ascent as key actors in global governance — and we should welcome and encourage that role.”